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1 Samuel 9
New English Translation

Samuel Meets with Saul

9 There was a Benjaminite man named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish was a prominent person. 2 He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he was; he stood head and shoulders above all the people.

3 The donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off,[a] so Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go[b] look for the donkeys.”[c] 4 So Saul[d] crossed through the hill country of Ephraim, passing through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. So they crossed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he crossed through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s head back before my father quits worrying about the donkeys and becomes anxious about us!” 6 But the servant said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected. Everything that he says really happens.[e] Now let’s go there. Perhaps he will tell us where we should go from here.”[f] 7 So Saul said to his servant, “All right,[g] we can go. But what can we bring the man, since the food in our bags is used up? We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant went on to answer Saul, “Look, I happen to have in my hand a quarter shekel[h] of silver. I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us where we should go.”[i] 9 (Now it used to be in Israel that whenever someone went to inquire of God he would say, “Come on, let’s go to the seer.” For today’s prophet used to be called a seer.) 10 So Saul said to his servant, “That’s a good idea![j] Come on. Let’s go.” So they went to the town where the man of God was.

11 As they were going up the ascent to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water. They said to them, “Is this where the seer is?” 12 They replied, “Yes, straight ahead! But hurry now, for he came to the town today, and the people are making a sacrifice at the high place. 13 When you enter the town, you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he arrives, for he must bless the sacrifice. Once that happens, those who have been invited will eat. Now go on up, for[k] this is the time when you can find him.”

14 So they went up to the town. As they were heading for the middle of the town, Samuel was coming in their direction[l] to go up to the high place. 15 Now the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told[m] Samuel: 16 “At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. You must consecrate[n] him as a leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor on my people. Their cry has reached me.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said,[o] “Here is the man that I told you about. He will rule over my people.” 18 As Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate, he said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”

19 Samuel replied to Saul, “I am the seer! Go up in front of me to the high place! Today you will eat with me and in the morning I will send you away. I will tell you everything that you are thinking.[p] 20 Don’t be concerned[q] about the donkeys that you lost three days ago, for they have been found. Whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you, and all your father’s family?”[r]

21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel’s tribes, and is not my family clan the smallest of all the clans in the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you speak to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel brought[s] Saul and his servant into the room and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty people present. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Give me the portion of meat that I gave to you—the one I asked you to keep with you.”

24 So the cook picked up the leg and brought it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel[t] said, “What was kept is now set before you! Eat, for it has been kept for you for this meeting time, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. 26 They got up at dawn and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up and the two of them—he and Samuel—went outside. 27 While they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” So he did.[u] Samuel then said,[v] “You remain here awhile, so I can inform you of God’s message.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 9:3 tn Heb “became lost.”
  2. 1 Samuel 9:3 tn Heb “and arise, go.”
  3. 1 Samuel 9:3 tc The Syriac Peshitta includes the following words: “So Saul arose and went out. He took with him one of the boys and went out to look for his father’s donkeys.”
  4. 1 Samuel 9:4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. 1 Samuel 9:6 tn The infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis.
  6. 1 Samuel 9:6 tn Heb “our way on which we have gone.”
  7. 1 Samuel 9:7 tn Heb “look.”
  8. 1 Samuel 9:8 sn A quarter shekel of silver would weigh about a tenth of an ounce (about 3 grams).
  9. 1 Samuel 9:8 tn Heb “our way.”
  10. 1 Samuel 9:10 tn Heb “your word is good.”
  11. 1 Samuel 9:13 tc The MT has “him” (אֹתוֹ, ʾoto) here, in addition to the “him” at the end of the verse. The ancient versions attest to only one occurrence of the pronoun, although it is possible that this is due to translation technique rather than to their having a Hebrew text with the pronoun used only once. The present translation assumes textual duplication in the MT and does not attempt to represent the pronoun twice. However, for a defense of the MT here, with the suggested translation “for him just now—you will find him,” see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 72-73.
  12. 1 Samuel 9:14 tn Heb “to meet them.” This may indicate purpose on Samuel’s part. The next sentence indicates that the meeting was by design, not just an accident.
  13. 1 Samuel 9:15 tn Heb “uncovered the ear of.”
  14. 1 Samuel 9:16 tn Heb “anoint.”
  15. 1 Samuel 9:17 tn Heb “responded.”
  16. 1 Samuel 9:19 tn Heb “all that is in your heart.”
  17. 1 Samuel 9:20 tn Heb “do not fix your heart.”
  18. 1 Samuel 9:20 tn Heb “and all the house of your father.”
  19. 1 Samuel 9:22 tn Heb “took and brought.”
  20. 1 Samuel 9:24 tn Heb “he” (also in v. 25); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in both places in the translation for clarity.
  21. 1 Samuel 9:27 tc This statement is absent in the LXX (with the exception of Origen), an Old Latin ms, and the Syriac Peshitta.
  22. 1 Samuel 9:27 tn The words “Samuel then said” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
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1 Samuel 9
American Standard Version

9 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of [a]valor. 2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a [b]young man and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 3 And the asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. 4 And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

5 When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us. 6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go. 7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) 10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? 12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place. 13 As soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him. 14 And they went up to the city; and as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.

15 Now Jehovah had [c]revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be [d]prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah [e]said unto him, Behold, the man [f]of whom I spake to thee! this same shall have authority over my people. 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day: and in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And [g]for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father’s house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the [h]tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?

22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. 24 And the cook took up the [i]thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for thee, [j]for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. 26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still [k]first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 9:1 Or, wealth
  2. 1 Samuel 9:2 Or, choice
  3. 1 Samuel 9:15 Hebrew uncovered the ear of Samuel.
  4. 1 Samuel 9:16 Or, leader
  5. 1 Samuel 9:17 Hebrew answered him.
  6. 1 Samuel 9:17 Or, of whom I said unto thee, This same etc.
  7. 1 Samuel 9:20 Or, on whom is all the desire of Israel? It is not on thee, and on all etc.?
  8. 1 Samuel 9:21 Hebrew tribes.
  9. 1 Samuel 9:24 Or, shoulder
  10. 1 Samuel 9:24 Hebrew saying.
  11. 1 Samuel 9:27 Hebrew to-day.
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